UYO, Nigeria — Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has issued a directive to all commissioners and political appointees in his administration: join him in defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or resign from office.
The ultimatum was reportedly delivered during a State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting in Uyo on Thursday, May 22, 2025, where Governor Eno publicly confirmed his departure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the platform on which he was elected.
“Anybody who claims he is not aware of my intention to leave the PDP is still living in the 18th century,” the governor reportedly said at the meeting, according to sources present.
Governor Eno attributed his defection to his admiration for President Bola Tinubu’s leadership and a desire to align more closely with the Federal Government.
He also warned appointees against attempting to resist or undermine his decision.
“Apart from elected officials like House of Assembly members and Local Government Chairmen, I have nothing to negotiate with you,” he declared.
“Let me tell you, anybody who believes that when I leave the PDP he will use the party structure to fight me is lying, because I will still control the PDP structure,” he added.
The development marks a dramatic political shift in Akwa Ibom State, long regarded as a PDP stronghold since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
Eno’s announcement follows mounting speculation over his political alignment amid increasing engagements with APC leadership in recent months.
As of the time of filing this report, the EXCO meeting was still ongoing, with further directives and potential resignations expected in the hours ahead.
The governor’s move is likely to trigger ripple effects in the state’s political landscape, with attention now turning to the reaction of key stakeholders within both the PDP and the APC, as well as members of the state legislature and local government councils.
